Wakizashi or big tanto, no signature
Blade length 31.7cm, thickness at the base 6mm, width 3.1cm
This is a wakizashi blade in hira-zukuri style, but actually it is a big tanto. The shape shows a typical style of tanto in 14th century (Namboku-cho period).
Steel is fine. It has a wood grain layer pattern. It is visible, but not rough.
Hamon is mainly made of small particles. Its pattern is a straight with some undulation. Additionally, some large particles appears, especially at the tip. The large particles make yubashiri and small kinsuji in some parts. Utsuri also appears.
The polishing is the classical style done by Mr. Rinzo Negishi. So it is honest and clean without any tricks to confuse peoples' eye.
Tang
It looks originally no-signature
Habaki is made of copper. It is old, but some person polished it.
Shirasaya and bag
240,000.yen (consignment)
NBTHK paper is added. They attributed it to "Yamamura Masanobu". The rank is "Hozon-Token".
No one know if the attribution is correct, but the "Yamamura" is the school in Echigo province in 14th century. They are descendants of Nobukuni who is a master smith of Rai school in Kyoto in 14th century. His students were invited by some lords in some other provinces. The smiths moved to Echigo province is called "Yamamura", since they were invited by the lord Yamamura of Echigo. Masanobu is one of the smith in the school. And they say he is a member of the family lord Yamamura.
In this blade, the neat straight pattern hamon, some activities of large particles around the hamon, and the engravings, those may suggest the Nobukuni style.